Turkish Citizenship Interview

Yesterday I had my Turkish Citizenship Interview, which is part of the process of becoming a Turkish Citizen and getting you Kimlik.

The Interview is probably the hardest part of the Turkish Citizenship Process. Not for what happens during the interview or that it is even hard. But more due to the worry and stress of what it will be like and what will happen, will you be able to answer the questions and is your Turkish good enough.

Not until it was all over did I realise the pressure I was placing on myself for this interview which lasted 10 minutes tops.

In Adapazari where I live the interview and all the paperwork for the Turkish Citizenship is done at the Adalet Sarayi, which is the main court here. The build is a bit intimidating with its concrete Soviet Union look. My husband compares it to the Pentagon.

So What Happens During the Interview?

We arrived and checked through some paperwork and signed some forms. We were then showed to a seating area where 8 or 10 other people were waiting. We were told the interview would be at 2pm but actually they meant they would begin then and you wait to be called.

Everyone was clearly nervous and it reminded me more of a dental surgery. Once all the officials were ready they began the interviews.

You will be interviewed by a Panel of people made up of Officials of the area. I had 5 people but you can have up to 8 people on the Panel. For me the Panel was made up of the Mayor, Chief of Police, Education Head, for the Area, Family Liaison Office and one other I am not sure of his position.

They then proceeded to ask me a series of questions in Turkish. I had asked previously to friends what to expect and had prepared a list of possible questions and practised these beforehand. Which is a good thing to do to help relax you. (I will list these questions at the end of the article.)

When I was called my husband and child were asked to wait outside for the first part of my Interview.

The main worry for everyone is speaking Turkish especially for those like me who are not fluent yet. I have a good knowledge of basic Turkish which gets me by but in a situation like this I would say my Turkish is not good enough yet.

But don’t worry about this, they just want to make sure your answers match the paper work they have and that you are a real person.

For me unfortunately they didn’t ask me many of my prepared questions. They asked me things like what do I think of the Turkish Culture and about my husbands family. The Mayor wanted to practise his English which was a little helpful and confusing. Luckily the Chief of Police helped me out when I didn’t understand a question or was struggling with a word to answer with.

I have also been told that if you are struggling they will ask your husband to come in and he can help with translation. The main thing is to try, use as much of the Turkish you have and show you are willing to learn and speak.

After a couple of nerve wracking minutes my husband was then allowed into the interview and they proceeded to speak with him and ignored me for the rest of the time. They asked a little about my son who was happily sitting on an official’s knee.

Once we were done the Mayor offered his congratulations to me saying I will be granted my Turkish Citizen once my paper work is cleared. So now I await the arrival of my Turkish Citizenship Card (Kimlik).

I am relieved to get the process done and the interview out of the way. It was something I was really dreading but also something I am glad I have done and another experience to notch on my belt.

If you are married especially as a women it is almost guaranteed that you will be given Citizenship and therefore they are easier on you at the interview. If you are a Man or unmarried the interview can be harder and especially if you are unmarried you will be expected to speak Turkish and prove you can support yourself here in Turkey. The paper work for an unmarried person is also different.

If you are in the process or starting the process for your Turkish Citizenship I wish you all the very best of luck.

If you have been through the process I would love to hear your experiences or any questions you have.

Hi Kerry, Thanks for this very informative post. I have to say I chuckled a bit when I saw that you listed “if you know who Ataturk is” as one of the possible “unusual questions.” Since photos, statues, and even his signature are so prevalent in Turkey, I can’t imagine someone not knowing who Ataturk was and how important he was in modern Turkey’s history. For even the casual tourist, he’s pretty hard to miss. 😉 Thanks again for the great post and congrats on making it through the interview.

Thanks for this insight Kerry. Dealing with Immigration is always a nightmare. When I applied for my American Citizenship it was a exercise in patience. Long lines, countless forms, unhelpful staff, and at times – just sheer confusion. And then to add insult to injury – you have to pay for the entire nerve-wracking process!

Congrats on getting your citizenship Kerry. Hope you’re going to show us a pic of your kimlik when it arrives. 🙂 We were pleased enough just to see our little blue residency book so you must be really happy – and relieved – to get through the process.
Julia

Sorry Mikato I am not sure as to what you mean, can you explain further as to what you are asking? The questions given in the article are questions that I have researched which were ask to other individuals. Each Interview is different for every person as it is an interview to find about who you are and your intentions as to why you wish to become a Turkish Citizen. If you read the part about my own interview you will see that though I prepare the general questions in fact I got asked entirely different questions. So no interview is the same

Congratulations Kerry. Getting citizenship is a big thing, in my opinion. It tied me up in knots and I felt elated when I got that little pink card.

A little ditto on the interview process:
the run up to my interview was exactly as you described yours to be (dentist waiting room and all). They called my first name and I immediately jumped up and flew in the door, desperate to get this over with. My husband followed like a sheep. The officials started with the basic introductions and then asked me who was looking after our children. I replied that they were at school which met with silence and puzzled faces. I was just proud of myself for understanding and replying, at that stage. Then they asked where we had met. I replied and got another strange response. “How old is your son now?” was the next question and I replied that we didn’t have a son….at which point in time, the Chairman of the panel asked me my name and it just so happened that there were 2 Kelly’s on the list that day and I had hijacked the other lady’s interview. Oh the shame! I really thought I had blew it at that point…. but after that they just spoke to my husband and had a good laugh at my expense 🙂

hey… thanks for the article…I have to say I still have a year to go until I can apply for my kimlik but i already started panicking about this part of it…:( can I ask if you had to pay anything to apply for your kimlik?

Many thanks in advance

PS if any one knows anything about taking a Turkish driving license I would be really happy to hear from you (I am from Istanbul BTW)

Do you have a current drives license for your own country? I am about to trying and organize mine, if you have a current license you just have to go through some medical checks and a pile of paper work and they will issue a license. If you are currently on a residents permit, you are allowed to use your current license, with translated notarized copy if you are a UK citizen. Beware though its meant to cost around 600 lira to get your license changed into a Turkish license after you do all the medical checks and payments a bit steep!

Amy you have to have your DL (assuming you have one from your country of birth) birth certificate, and your passport all translated into turkish an notarized, then go in to the dL dept. and they will take all that info and a fee (not sure how much yet). and send it off to Ankara. That what they told me. I got as far as my paperwork translated and 1 notarized and that all cost me 210TL in Çorum, and will be another 120 for 2 more notes. Or if your fluent in Turkish you can take the test. In which you can have a translator with you for it, and get it that way. Ive glanced at the test and it wont be easy, looked like you have to know the inside and out works of the car, gas ratio pretty much have to darn near be a mechanic.

Is it possible to leave Turkey after the interview just for six months. I applied last October 2013 and i just learned I’m pregnant. i want to give birth to my country and come after 6 months.Is this a good idea?

Ayse have you had your interview yet? and you may also get a house check from the police. If either of these two haven’t been completed then I would say leaving would mean you would have to start the process again.

However saying that, I have just returned from two months at home before I recieved my kimlik but by that time it was in Ankara and I took the risk. I got my card when I got back last week. My process was nearly 1 year in when I left and I had covered all the things they would need me for.

What to do is contact whoever is dealing with your application and ask if you can leave. You can apply from the UK you don’t need to be living in Turkey, just married for 3 years but you don’t want to have to start the process over again.

Thanks Kerry.I’m currently living in Turkey right now and I’ve been here for almost three years. I haven’t got my interview yet but if it will be done by April or March next year since I applied last October and police came to our house two weeks ago and ask simple things and later advice me to go to the Police Station for my finger prints. That’s it for now. I talked to my husband about this matter and I was thinking that maybe there is possibility coz my residence will expire on September and before the expiration I’m in Turkey already. We will ask after the interview process about this. Thanks

Thank you for the post, it was really good and informative. I have another year left until I apply for my Kimlik but am not worrying to much as my Turkish is at a good standard, however far from fluent I might add. I have talked to a few people about when they applied, one person responded that they had Russain friends who couldnt barley speak Turkish but still received their Kimlik.

I must say that I love your blog and always look forward to new posts xx

Thanks for your comment, the interview if you are married to a Turk tends to be more a formality than anything else, that is most likely why the Russian friends got their Kimlik. Though there are changes being made in April 2014 and I hope to write about them once they are in place.

I look forward to seeing what changes then, do you have any idea of what the changes are looking to be? You can never be too sure in Turkey about anything until it’s right in front of you, I just hope they don’t extend the time period before I start the process xx

Confused on the way and order of interviews ect take place , I went in October to Mugla and submitted all my paper work , went to the police station and had my fingerprints done, two weeks later had a vist from the police and 10 days later a second vist, and now waiting for my interivew date. Seem nothing is straight forward or the same for every application. My turkish still feel like i know nothing and Im dreading when i get the phone call for an interiview as i know i will freeze and not beable to answer as i get tongue tied and if they speak ast i just go blank in my head.
I heard the changed would mean a written test also I really hope i get the interview over and done by april.

Burasi Turkiye, Tracey!! Its always different in each area, why make it easy lol your interview should be next and then that will be you unless they need to check some paper work before it goes off to Ankara, don’t stress about your interview we all do it! But my Turkish flew out the window with my nerves and I was just grateful they decided to practice their English with me and I also got a little slap on the hand for not speaking better. I am not sure about the written test, there are always rumors but I will go and find out for you and let you know. I would think your interview will be soon now you have had all your checks. Good luck and let me know how it all goes xx

Everything went well on my interview yesterday. I applied last October 2013.It took less than 2-3 minutes of asking. We were ten applicants and I was 3rd to the last. Everybody who came first to me were very fast. Some finished just less than two minutes. First, the wife enters and when she finished , she gets out of the room and then the husband enters. Inside the room, they have a projector, in which it shows the applicants information sheet and they ask questions according to that application form. When I entered the room, there were around 8 officers. Everybody stared at me if I’m the same person in the picture. Then, they started talking to each other that there are lots of filipina who applied. Then only one officer who asked these following questions:

Are you a classroom teacher? (this is base on my profession)
Where did you meet with your husband?
Do you have any children?
How old? What’s her name?
What is your husband’s job?

That’s all…so easy..Goodluck to those who will apply for Turkish Citizenship

So glad it went well with you Ayse and your on the home stretch now, mine took a while to come back from Ankara after my interview so I hope yours comes back quickly but all going well you are nearly finished. In my area it was odd for them to see a British girl and they all wanted to try out their English! Mainly Bulgarians and Russians here. Well done and thank you for let us know how it all went. x

Merhaba. Im from philippines. And im married to a turkish.we got married in saudi. Currently im living in turkey. I came here last sept 22, 2012 with my husband. We have 1 son now. On april 10, 2014 were already 3 yrs married. My husband and i are planning to apply for kimlik. I need help guys i am so confused. Im a nurse and the hospital here told that i can work here anytime if i have kimlik and knows turkish. I want to know what will be the process and requirements for applying kimlik. How much time we will wait for it. Do i need to translate my documents in turkish. Please help me.

Yes all documents must be translated and notrised, it takes up to a year for the full application once you get your kimlik then you are free to work. Good luck any questions on the process in the above link let me know.

I just want to inform that i called the office and asked when will i get my turkish id and if i can travel on april 17.The woman sais my husband can get it next month and its not a problem if i will get out of the country since i will come on september 8 and my residence permit expiration is on september 17

Ayse, your husband can not pick up your Kimlik, you are required to sign a paper and collect another two papers and hand over your residents permit book and then for your Kimlik and you will also be required to provide two photographs, go to your local Muthar to get another paper signed and then to another department to where your kimlik will be made up and you will again sign another paper to get your kimlik. Yes you will be able to leave and return on your, residents permit I also left the country near the end of the process. You have been misinformed regards the collection and will need to do this on your return if your Kimlik is ready.

Hi kerry
Last april we filed for my citizenship and waiting for the polis to come in our house. Its almost 2 mos since we applied. Last may 5 also i started to work in the hospital here. Because the immigration office give me some #. So the hospital accepted me. After a week the hosp is applying insurance for me. So from that time they knew that i have no kimlik # yet. So may 29 they asked me to stop work. Because they are afraid if somebody knew that i am working there without sigorta the hosp will be close. Im so depressed. Because i really miss working in the hosp. They assure me once i get my kimlik they will accept me again. They said also if i want i can apply for working permit. Im browsing the net for that. And its said it will take 4 or 6 months for the process.

Rhoma, a work permit doesnt take that long. I applied for my work permit last monday with the hotel I will be working with and we had the reply yesterday to say I can work. work permits only take up to 15 days. The hospital need to apply for you though. Good luck with your citizenship, starting mine in August and kinda nervous. x

Hi samantha
Thanks for the info. Thr hospital here are willing to give me a letter indicating that they want me to work in their hosp. Wanna ask what requirements needed for applying work permit. All my diploma are already translated in turkish with notarize already. When i will apply for it?? Im too far from the city. Do i need to pay something.

Rhoma, the hotel applied for my visa online, I had to give them my diplomas, wedding cert, ikamet, passport translation, and the rest was all to do with the hotel income etc. I dont know if the procedure is different for the hospital but ask them to look on the çalışma ve sosyal güvenlik bakanlığı website. the hotel paid for my visa aswell x

I’m in Philippines right now, I came last April and I gave birth last July 2.I had called the office who process my Turkish Citizenship before I went and they verified that I won’t be having a problem in leaving the country while it is on process. So, I received a good news last June that the office called my Husband’s house and informed them that they grant my Turkish Citizenship. They just said when i return on September, I will get my Turkish ID. It was five months already from the date of my application before I leave so it is worth it.

Hi
Pls help i applied for my citizenship about 4months ago, i submitted the paper work at the nufus in Antalya. Almost 3months later a police came to my house and drop a note saying i have to come with my husband to the station to sign some papers. The next day we went and sign the papers, i was directed somewhere else to make finger print. Since then we havent heard anything. İf i may ask is that the process?. Or is there something am doing wrong? İ read some people did Fingerprint 2week after submitting the paper work. İ think is taking long for the interview .

Looking at your timeline, normally they send out a paper for your interview, sometimes this gets lost. Give them a call and see whats happening with your interview. It may be its not been scheduled yet. The process is correct and it took about 5 months for my interview to come through. Its a long process and drags out. After your interview be prepared to wait another 6 months or so before they issue a card. The paperwork gets sent to Ankara for finally approval and it can get held up there for some time. Good luck x

Hi Olufunmi, the hard part is over I hope it all went well. Now the long wait to get your card. Keep checking with them from time to time. We did and I am glad we did because they had papers missing and hadn’t bothered to phone. So keep a check on the process and make sure they have everything. Kerry

I had, had my check by then well, not sure it was a check, I had not long done my residents permit and we were heading out as the police were coming to see me. They just checked my book and left. I think they tend to do the check before the interview, but you never know if they may pop in. I wouldn’t worry about it.

Hi i have applied for my Turkish citizenship here in Ireland through the consulate since nov 2014 waiting to be called for the interview , can i leave ireland and get residencey permit until i receieve my Turkish Citizenship , i have contacted to inquire how long i must wait to be called for interview but they just replied to say they will call me in due course ? i want to move toTurkey soon and dont want to go unless i get called for my interview here in Ireland ..

Hi Molly you will need to wait in Ireland to complete the process or you will need to begin again if you move to Turkey. Your Interview should be soon it was about 3 to 4 mths for mine. Hold off a little longer. It wil also then take 6mths or more before the process is complete.

Hello Kerry,
I wanted to ask you ab getting the Turkish Id.How long is it taking?We got married in august 2012 ,I applied for the turkish id in august 2015,I went to the interview in november 2015.This month is going to be one year since I applied and still I don’t have an answer.For more than 7 months when I check online they say the same thing “checking your documents or smth like that”.I mean do you know a number where I can call and find out in Ankara ab it?
Thank you very much,
Marilena

Hi Marilena, I would suggest that you go to or find the contact number for where you put your application in. They most likely need some further information from you regards your application. However they will not call or notify you in most cases. Some applications process very quickly and others seem to get jammed up in the system. Once you get in touch with them I suggest you call them every other week until they process your application. You may find due to the current situation in Turkey that this will also not help the process. Good luck.

Thank you very much for your reply.We’ve called in Aydin because that’s where I applied but they told us that my file is in Ankara now and all I have to do is wait.I really don’t know what’s going on.She just said that sometimes it takes more than one year to get it but all my friends got it in like 5 or 6 months.We tried to call in Ankara but nobody would answer the phone numbers they have on the website.

Marilena, a close friend of mine has waited 2 years from Aydin. She had to keep pushing before they pulled her file and realised that there was an issue with a missing form it is in Ankara now and still no news. Keep on them, phone them again in a week or go and see them again. Just make a pest of yourself. However if the file really has gone to Ankara with the current situation, I would reckon that most applications will be delayed for the time being. Good Luck, some come back within the year others seem to disappear into the system.

Hi there! This post is helpful. I studied the possible questions before the interview. I’ve just had the interview this morning and I’d like to share my story. They interviewed me for 5 minutes and later they called my husband in. He came out upset and we left quickly. My three years old son didn’t even have a chance to use his charm with the panel! It turns out they weren’t happy with my Turkish level. I was surprised because I feel like I was doing okay, not perfect for sure, but I understood the questions and able to answer them (Where are you from? How did you meet your husband? How long do you live in Turkey? Were you married before? Do you have children?..and so on). This came as a surprise because I read from many foreigners who share their citizenship stories, and I got the impression that they don’t expect you to be advanced. It is important definitely, but they don’t expect perfect fluency as long as you can communicate with your spouse. In my case, they asked more questions to my husband than to me. They even asked my husband “Why did you decide to marry (her), she can’t speak Turkish and she’s much older than you?”. He was told “Your wife didn’t understand us (anything)” , which is not true. Oh well or I was wrong? I think a friendly recommend like I should practice more Turkish would make us feel so much better. So….I don’t know maybe now fluency is required. Best of luck for everybody out there.

Hello
I had my interview but i would like to say that my interview was the most diffrent interview ever and had nothing to do with any of yours guys…
We were called in 2 groups
1st group with people who were married with turkish men and
2nd group with people who were araps iimigrants or asking for citizenship without marriage.

Our group had 12 families husband and wife and children

At the kaymakam office inside we were invited 3 families at once so each time 3 families going inside for 2 mnts and he used to look at them smile and say tamam hayirli olsun and go to your houses and take care of your children.

When we went inside same he smiled to all of us and he said same
There was no interview no questions nothing
And i prepared my self even with istiqlal marsi
Inside all papers were signed by kaymakam he only wanted to see us he didnt ask any of us any question

And then at the other offise there was a paper for each couple to signed

And they said minimum 2 week and max 6 months to wait untill kimlik comes

I still wait for kimlik in 10 days will be exactly 6 months i hope it will come soon im waiting for that.

Just finished my interview in İstanbul. I was well prepared even learned the Istiklal marşı by heart :). I’m married to a Türk and I live in Turkey about 10 years, I’m quite fluent but not as much as I would like to as we mainly speak English at home. They kept me in for a couple of minutes, just asked me when I met with my wife, when we got married, if we have any children, what job I do, where is my wife from (memleket ) and when we last visited her home town. Also, where is her mother living now and if we visit often. Then the officer asked the other officials if anyone else had any other questions and nobody has anything to ask, then they called my wife in for a total of two minutes and that was it. She came out smiling, all they asked her is when and where we met. She was fully prepared for the interview, she even had brought our wedding photo album along, she did not have a chance to show it. All well, the officer told us we have to wait for 6 months to a year for all paperwork to clear and they gave us a tracking number for our ID application. Best of luck to everyone.